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May 20, 1947.

w. H. FORMHALS ETAL 2,420,873 "RECTOX" MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed July 3, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1947- w. H. FORMHALS ETAL 2,420,873

"RECTOX" MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed July 3, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESISES: INVENTORSJ.

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ATTORNEY May 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "RECTOX MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM William H. Formhals, Forest Hills, Pa., and Scott H. Hanville, Jr., Huron, Ohio, assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 3, 1943, Serial No. 493,328

3 Claims. (Cl. 172-239) Our invention relates to electric control systems and more particularly to systems for controlling the excitation of a direct current motor connected to a direct current generator.

A broad object or our invention is to maintain the excitation of a series field of a direct current motor in the same direction when the armature current of the motor is reversed.

Another object of our invention is the provision of automatic means for energizing the series field of a direct current motor in the same direction and proportional to the motor armature current regardless of the directioh of the armature current.

It is also an object 01' our invention to provide for automatic dynamic braking of a series motor connected to a series generator, in a series variable voltage drive, without the use of reversing ,contactors for the motor series field.

A still further object of our invention is the provision of means {or maintaining the excitation oi. the series field or a direct current motor in the same direction regardless of whether the motor is operating normally in either direction by a reversal of the polarity of voltage supplied to it or I whether the motor is dynamically braked or regeneratively braked after normal operation.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following specification and the drawings accompanying the-specification, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic showing 01' our invention in its simplest form as applied to a series variable voltage drive:

Fig. 2 is a simple diagrammatic showing of the minimum equipment required with a prior art series variable voltage drive; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showing of our invention as applied to a reversing control for a machine tool as a planer, draw-out shaper, or other machine.

In Fig. 1, P designates the prime mover, as a constant speed induction motor, operatin the series generator G. This series generator has a series field 58 and the voltage of this generator is adjusted by the adjustable rheostat 59.

To start the drive switch S is closed and then push-button switch 52 is closed. These operations effect the operation of the generator G at the desired speed and a circuit is established from 2 series generator G to the series motor M, which motor is coupled to drive a suitable load.

The loop circuit for the generator and motor may be traced from the generator armature through the generator series field 58, the excitation of which is adjusted by the rheostat 59, contact members 60, lead 6|, Rectcx unit 62 of the full wave rectifier 10, the motor series field 63, acting in the direction indicated by the full-line arrow adjacent this field 63, Rectox unit 64 of the full-wave rectifier 10, the armature of motor M, and lead 65 back to the generator armature.

If the motor M is tobe stopped, stop switch 53 is actuated to thus efiect the deenergization of coil 54 of the dynamic braking contactor. This contactor thus closes the contact members 68 to connect the dynamic braking resistor 69 to the motor M. The braking circuit may be traced from the upper terminals of the armature 01' the motor M, through Rectox unit 68 of the rectifier 10, the motor series field winding 63, energized in the same direction by the counter-electromotive force of motor M as during normal operation, Rectox unit 'B'Llead 6|, back contact members 88 or contactor 55. dynamic braking remotor M.

It should be noted that dynamic braking is accomplished automatically with maximum brakin effect with the use of but a single dynamic braking contactor. To accomplish some similar results with the prior art schemes two or more contactors are needed, aaia mere inspection of Fig. 2 will show.

It frequently happens that the characteristics required of a conventional direct current motor necessitate the use of a series field. This requirement in many cases increases the duty of the control and thus results in a more expensive equipment.

In most prior art adjustable voltage drives of the Ward-Leonard type embodying motor reversal, it is customary to accomplish reversal of the motor by a reversal of the generator separately excited field, when the main field of the motor is separately excited in the same direction. In such a system the generator series field, if used, will always agree in polarity with the separately excited field as reversal of the generator voltage is accomplished by reversal of line current, thus reversin the series field efiect with the reversal of the shunt field. This, however, is not true with the motor series field because the separately excited field is always excited with one polarity while the series field will reverse with reversal or line current. Since it is undesirable to have a differential series on a direct current motor, some provision must be made to reverse this series field. This is relatively expensive because the contactors for re. versing the connections of the series field, as shown in Fig. 2, must handle full line current and thus are relatively large. Often relays must be used in addition to operate these contactors. Further, such prior art schemes permit the undesirable possibility of opening the circuit between the motor and generator thus making it possible to lose the regenerative braking feature of an adjustable voltage drive. For another typical prior art scheme reference may be had to the G. E. King Patent No. 1,805,248.

Our scheme of control provides all the benefits of the prior art control plus the advantage of automatic operation and the use of very much less equipment, and further the elimination of the possibility of an open circuit between the generator and the motor.

In Fig. 3, P designates the prime mover oper-- ating at a constant speed to drive the exciter E and the main generator G. The prime mover may be, and as is usual in most industrial applications would be, an induction motor connected to a suitable source of alternating current by a circuit breaker I.

A motor M is coupled to drive a load L. The motor M has a field winding 2 energized in the same direction and at constant value from the exciter E, which exciter is of the constant voltage type. The field 2 may, of course, be connected to the exciter E through suitable control so that the motor speed may be varied through excitation control. The motor M also has a series field 3.

The generator G has a series field 4 and a main field 5. The main field 5 is connected to the exciter 3 through suitable reversing control equipment for alterating the excitation of the field 5 and for reversing the connection of this field to the exciter. By this control equipment the ma nitude of the generator voltage and its polarity may be effectively controlled.

The motor armature 6 is connected to the generator armature I by the permanent loop circuit including the generator armature I, the motor armature 6, a portion of the rectifier 8, the motor series field 3, another portion of the rectifier 8, the generator series field 4 back to the generator armature.

The rectifier 8 is also of the full wave type with the motor series field winding being connected to the direct current junctions. With this connection the current through the motor series field winding 3 is always in the same direction, as shown by the arrow adjacent this series field, regardless. of the direction of the current fiow in the motor armature 6. Thus the series field 3 is always cumulative and the objections of the prior art schemes previously mentioned are removed.

It is to be noted that the action is completely automatic and free from major discontinuities.

In Fig. 3 we show our invention in combination with dynamic brakin in a reversing planer control. The load represents a planer platen, which platen, at the end of the one stroke operates the limit switch I I and then at the end of the other stroke the other limit switch II'.

A brief statement of the function of the system may aid in understanding the advantages of our control. If the attendant wishes to start the planer, say, in the forward direction, he de- 4 presses switch I3, whereupon a circuit is established from conductor I0, through limit switch II, the lower contacts I2 of switch I3, stop switch I4, coil I5 of relay l6, and conductors I1 and I 8 to the exciter.

Relay I8 closes contacts I9 to establish its own holding circuit.

Since switch 20 is in the position shown during this stage of operation a circuit is established from the positive terminal II8 of the exciter E through conductor I8, resistor 24, actuating coil 23 of the forward directional contactor FR, back contacts 22 of the reverse directional contactor RR, the closed contacts 2| of relay I6, the contacts of switch 20, the limit switch -II, and conductor Hi to the negative terminal of the exciter E.

Operation of the forward directional contactor establishes a circuit from the positive terminal II8 of the exciter E through conductor I8. the

rheostat 28, contacts 21, the generator field winding 5 and the resistor 25 connected in parallel to this field winding 5, contacts 25, and conductor [0 to the negative terminal H9 or the exciter E. If this excitation of the field winding 5 is considered to be in the direction of the full-line arrow adjacent this field and the assumption is made that such excitation makes terminals I00 and I03 of the generator G positive and negative, respectively, then an energizing circuit is established for motor M. This circuit may be traced from the positive terminal I00 to terminal Iti of the motor M, the motor armature winding, terminal I02, rectifying unit I64 of the rectifier 8, field winding 3 of the motor M, rectifying unit I62, contacts 35, the series field winding 4 of the generator G to the negative terminal I03 01 the generator G.

The generator series field winding 4 will be energized in the direction indicated by the fullline arrow adjacent this field and the series field 3 of the motor M will be energized in the direction indicated by the full-line arrow adjacent the field 3. Further, since the generator voltage impressed across the motor armature terminals is from terminal IOI to I02, the motor voltage, that is, the counter-electromotive force, is from terminal I02 toward IOI. This means, assuming the motor excitation is'not altered and it is operating as a generator, that terminal IIII positive and terminal I02 is negative.

At the end of the forward stroke of the planer platen, comprising the load L, the limit switch II is opened. The actuating coil 23 for the forward directional contactor PR is thus decnergized and in consequence contacts 25' open in a predetermined relatively short time interval. At substantially the same time contacts 32 close whereupon a circuit is established from the positively energized conductor I8 through actuating coil 30 of the dynamic braking control contactor D, contacts 32 and 31 to the negatively energized conductor I0.

Operation of contactor D causes the closing of contacts 34 and the opening of contacts 35. Opening of contacts 35 disconnects the motor M from the generator G whereas the closing of contacts 34 connects the dynamic braking resistor R to the motor. The dynamic braking circult may be traced from the positive terminal I01 of the motor, now operating as a generator, through resistor R, contacts 34, rectifying unit I61 of the rectifier 8, rheostat I61, series field 3 of the motor M, rectifying unit I86 of the rectifier 8, to the negative terminal of motor M. It will be noted that the series field 3 of the motor is energized in the same sense, namely, the sense designated by the full-line arrow adjacent the series field 3. The field strength is thus maintained as a function of the dynamic braking current and the braking torque as a function of the square of the braking current. Very eflective braking is thus produced with the use of a single contactor D.

-With prior art control schemes 8. minimum of circuit connecting the motor to the generator, said loop circuit including the armature windings of the generator and motor, the generator series field winding and its rheostatic means, the motor series field winding and a full-wave rectifier, said full-wave rectifier having four legs each including current rectifying means but one of the legs including an adjustable resistor in addition to the current rectifying means, the motor series field winding being connected across the direct current terminals of the full-wave rectifier. Y

3. In an adjustable speed drive for a load, in combination, a generator having a series field winding; means for driving the generator; a;

motor, coupled to the load to be driven, having a series field winding; 9. loop circuit connecting the motor to the generator; a full-wave rectifier having its alternating current terminals connected in the loop circuit; and having rectifying units in each or its four legs; a resistor in one only by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a variable speed drive for a motor, in combination, a generator having an armature winding and a series field winding, a motor similar to the generator, a loop circuit connecting the motor to the generator, said loop circuit including at least the generator and motor armatures, the generator series field, a full-wave rectifier having four legs each having current rectifying units and one leg having an impedance in addition to the current rectifying unit, said rectifier having one of its alternating current terminals connected to one motor armature terminal and the other connected in the loop circuit remote from said one motor armature terminal, and the motor series field winding connected to the direct current terminals of the fullwave rectifier.

2. In a variable speeddrive for a direct current motor, in combination, a direct current generator having an armature winding and a series field winding, adjustable rheostatlc means connected in parallel relation to the series field wind-- ing for controlling the current in the series field winding, a direct current motor having an armature winding and-a series field winding. a loop Number Name Date 1,805,160 Bivene May 12, 1931 1,933,231 Stevens Oct. 31, 1933 865,819 Powell Sept. 10, 1907 1,955,334 King Apr. 17, 1934 2,298,188 Wright Oct. 6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number" Country Date 191,948 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1923 538,908 Germany Nov. 21, 1931 of the legs 01' the rectifier for selectively controlling the speed oi' the motor in dependence of the polarity of the voltage applied to the motor armature terminals; a dynamic braking resistor; and switching means for disconnecting the generator from the motor and for connecting the dynamic braking resistor to the motor.

WILLIAM H. FORMHALS.

SCO'IT H. HANVILLE, JR.

.BEFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

